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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27931288">And They're Going to Better Places (All Our Friends Will Be Gone Away)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylaterightnow/pseuds/itsreallylaterightnow'>itsreallylaterightnow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BAMF Peter Parker, BAMF Tony Stark, Bombs, Explosions, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, I put the boys through it with this one, James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Lots of hurt before the comfort, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker is a Mess, Presumed Dead, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:28:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27931288</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylaterightnow/pseuds/itsreallylaterightnow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Ah - I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” <br/>Tony paused, a hand on the door handle. “Why’s that?” He asked without turning around. <br/>“Oh, well I haven’t told you about our friend Peter Parker yet.” Tony’s heart skipped a beat at the delight in Doc Ock’s tone. <br/>Tony turned slowly, a new look in his eyes. A look of murder. <br/>“What about him?” Tony asked, not wanting to know how this man had Peter’s full name. <br/>“Oh, well, you see - he’s in a precarious position currently.” The glint in Octavius’s eyes told Tony that this wasn’t an empty threat. <br/>“What the hell did you do?”</p><p>Or</p><p>I wrote this for Blondsak, did you expect a happy fic?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Sam Wilson, James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark, Peter Parker &amp; James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark, Peter Parker/Michelle Jones, Tony Stark/Pepper Potts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>239</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Irondad Fic Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Tony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondsak/gifts">blondsak</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>BLONDDDD!! I was ECSTATIC when I saw that you were who I would be writing for! (I mean, we love all the same things) and your prompts were so fun to play around with! You mentioned liking "Sophie's choice" situations... so I took the idea and ran with it!</p><p>It has been an honor and a pleasure to write this fic for one of the most influential and legendary Irondad writers out there :) I hope you enjoy! </p><p>Also, the BIGGEST thanks to Angel_Gidget for all of her help with this! Her beta'ing skills are incredible and she is such a wonderful supporter!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony waltzed into the SHIELD interrogation room with annoyance written on his face. It was ten at night, and somehow Wilson and Barnes had managed to track down Doctor Octavius and lock him in. Wilson had called Tony, claiming Doc Ock was practically off his head saying that if Tony didn’t come see him, he’d regret it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Tony had left his lab where he’d planned on being for the next seven hours, in order to see what the maniac who had been giving Peter so many problems wanted. Doc Ock was nothing short of a pain in Tony’s ass. He’d been tormenting Peter for the past couple of weeks, and Tony would personally thank Wilson and Barnes for bringing the psychotic doctor in so the spider-kid didn’t have to worry about it anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doctor Octavius used to be a well respected nuclear physicist, and honestly, Tony wasn’t sure where the man had gone wrong. All he knew was that the crazed man set his sights on Peter, and wasn’t letting up. When Peter showed up to the tower the week before black and blue and red all over, Tony called in Wilson and Barnes, setting them on the crazed man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stark!” Wilson’s voice carried through the well-lit hall, and Tony turned to see the man holding a rag to a bloodied lip as he walked up to Tony. They shared a firm handshake before Sam leaned against the wall. “Guy’s a psychopathic piece of shit, but we got him in. Buck’s nursing a couple of injuries in the med-bay, but nothing he won’t recover from in the next couple of days. We wouldn’t have called you in but…” Sam shifts, his eyes fluttering around nervously. “He keeps saying something about how you would want to know,” Wilson pauses. “He says it's about the kid.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s heart stammers and he gives a slight nod before sliding his orange sunglasses onto his head. “That’s my cue.” He muttered before sliding into the interrogation room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc Ock was a peculiar man. Not much in height, but he was an oddly large man. He wore thick bifocals and Tony could see the obvious signs of a fight in the blooded face and cuts across his body. The crazed physicist was without his famed “tentacles” and looked absolutely murderous chained to the bolted-down table. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Tony sauntered into the room, leaning up against the wall next to the one-way mirror, his heart hammering as he thought of what Octavius had to do with Peter. Last he’d known, the kid had been in the middle of studying for midterms with MJ at her place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, well, look what the octopus dragged in.” The man said, his nasally voice grating on Tony’s last nerve. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naming yourself Doctor Octopus, then making jokes about it </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>takes away from the “fear factor”, pal.” Tony chipped, staring down at the man, FRIDAY brought up the list of everything she had on file about the man and presented it on his glasses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you do what you can.” The doctor said, giving a slimy lick of his lips as he stared Tony down. “You should really be nicer to me.” He stated simply, his yellow teeth flashing through his grin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and why’s that? Because your daddy beat you as a kid? Am I supposed to have pity?” Tony jabbed, seeing the physical retaliation from the man across the table. “Well, news flash, my dad was no better, and look at the difference.” Tony was taunting him, wanting to see the hand the doctor held. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, one of us has killed hundreds of thousands and profited off the sale of weapons of mass destruction… and somehow the other one is behind chains.” Octavius just spread his hands and gave a pitiful shrug as the chains on his cuffs rattled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One of us chose to murder people in cold blood - that’s you, by the way. I did everything I could to remove the weapons I manufactured from the hands of the wrong people. I made the move to ensure the tech I created went towards creating safety, not destruction. So yes, there is a clear difference between us.” Tony just rolled his eyes, and unbuttoned his suit jacket, leaning back against the wall. His goal was to make Doc Ock feel like the least important person on the planet, like Tony couldn’t give a care in the world if he were in the room with him or not. He wasn’t going to play games with this psychopath the whole night. “Well, if all you’re going to do is make poor attempts at offending me, then I’ll be off.” He headed for the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah - I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony paused, a hand on the door handle. “Why’s that?” He asked without turning around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well I haven’t told you about our friend Peter Parker yet.” Tony’s heart skipped a beat at the delight in Doc Ock’s tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony turned slowly, a new look in his eyes. A look of murder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about him?” Tony asked, not wanting to know how this man had Peter’s full name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well, you see - he’s in a precarious position currently.” The glint in Octavius’s eyes told Tony that this wasn’t an empty threat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell did you do?” He barked, stalking up to the table and leaning into the man’s space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you see, spiders are very hard to take down, but there’s a special metal that… Well spiders can’t seem to get out of.” Octavius offered another sly grin, a menacing laugh coming from his throat. “You see, your precious, spider-kid is a little tied up at the moment.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony lurched forward, grabbing the man by his collar and slamming his head down on the metal table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he!?” Tony yelled, not caring if he was sued for every last dollar he had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doctor Octavius was in the hands of SHIELD now - he was a killer - no one would blink twice if he was a little black and blue. Not if Spider-Man was in danger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh - oh, you should know I have two addresses… just two. One will - um - it will lead you to your precious rent-a-son…” Octavius let out a mad laugh as blood dribbled from his mouth. “And one will lead you to, oh - what’s your pet name for him? Uh - your precious Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s heart rate skyrocketed, and Doc Ock could tell as he leaned his head back laughing with joy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t actually think I’d let myself get brought in without some kind of plan, did you? No, no, no - this… </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>is so much more fun!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without hesitation, Tony engaged the gauntlet from the watch on his wrist and shot the chain connecting Octavius to the metal table. With a violent shove, he had the shorter man pinned to the wall, a gauntlet straight in his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me where they are or I swear to God I will blow your face off and find them myself!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doc Ock laughed hard this time, leaning his head back as blood dribbled down his chin. “Oh, Tony, did you think it would be so easy? I’ll tell you where they are, but you should know,” The man looked down at his watch. “They are both at separate locations about </span>
  <span>nine minutes</span>
  <span> from here, and you have ten minutes before they both go - </span>
  <em>
    <span>boom.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Octavius whispered the word, frothed blood spit from his mouth. “Ever heard of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sophie’s Choice</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Well, good luck. You can save the kid you and every other person on this planet loves so much, or you can save the man that rescued you when you were in the pits of hell, the man who’s stuck by your side as a friend through thick and thin.” Octavius gave a simple shrug. “Your choice. The addresses are by their names on the piece of paper under the table. I’ll see you in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hot </span>
  </em>
  <span>minute.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony wanted to shred the man to pieces, to tear into him until there was nothing left, but if there was a shred of truth to his words, he would have to do that later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I will end you.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Tony whispered as he turned to grab the paper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, but not before I end one of them.” Octavius retorted, a distorted laugh following Tony as he burst from the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He immediately sprinted for the next exit, a suit already called to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FRIDAY, scan the two addresses now! Send people to both!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The paths went the same direction for three minutes, then split into an immediate left and right. On the left was Rhodey. Best friend since college. The person that kept him accountable, made sure he did the things he was meant to. His rock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the right was Peter. His kid, not by blood, but by everything else. A twenty year old kid with his whole life ahead of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An impossible choice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just when Tony was sure he couldn’t possibly make a decision, as the clock in front of him was at eight minutes before the explosion, a phone call started ringing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boss, I have a joint-call coming in. Both are pinged to the addresses I am locked in on.” FRIDAY’s voice rang out, and Tony took a shaking breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello.” Tony said, his voice tight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tones?” and “Mr. Stark?” Rang out at the same time. Some kind of twisted joint-call. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I-I’m on my way.” Tony said, but that wasn’t exactly true. He was on his way to one of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tones, we both know what’s going on, and I know you aren’t coming my way.” Rhodey said, and Tony knew exactly what he ment. He knew that James Rhodes would never forgive Tony if he chose him over Peter, but Tony just gave a shake of his head, biting his lip as he felt a lump forming in his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honeybear-” Tony started, sarcasm lacing the fear, but he knew Rhodey could hear straight through it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah-ah. Don’t you dare. I’m a Colonel, I signed up for this kind of shit, not the kid. He’s twenty, Tones. You know exactly what you have to do.” Rhodey insisted, and Tony wanted to curse him out, because he knew. He knew who he had to choose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know how I’m going to do that. You-” Tony wanted to yell in frustration as tears began to slide down his face. “As much as I hate to admit it, you mean a lot to me, and I can’t do this without you. Who’s supposed to stop me when I get out of line?” Tony asked, watching at the fork in the road approached. Literally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hah, well, you mean a lot to me too, but I think the kid can take over for me.” Rhodey suggested, and Tony did curse then as he heard Peter clear his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t I get a say in this? I signed up for this kind of thing when I decided to be spider-” Both men cut Peter off with a “no” before he even finished that sentence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I’m going to let you die, kid?” Rhodey asked, disbelief filling his voice. Tony hoped to God this wasn’t the last time he’d hear his friend talk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to get you out, both of you. Just hang on! Rhodes, Wilson is on his way, alright?” Tony choked out as he saw the fork on his HUD, knowing he was going to turn right. Knowing Wilson wouldn’t get to James in time. Knowing he was signing his best friend’s death certificate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’ll get me out, just go get the kid.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Stark, no!” Peter cried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fork came. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a sinking stomach, and tears leaking down his face, he turned right. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Rhodey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes had been through a lot of shit in his life. He’d flown one hundred and thirty-eight combat missions. Each and every mission, he’d left without the expectation of coming home. He never would have thought this would be how he went. But to die for something he believed in, </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone </span>
  </em>
  <span>he believed in, would be the greatest honor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If there was anyone on the planet that Rhodes knew deserved to be believed in, it was Peter Parker. The kid was everything that was good. He reminded Rhodey painfully of his best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodes hadn’t been able to spend enough time with Parker, their lives on separate trajectories, but of course he kept up with what the kid was doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter Parker made a difference. He inspired people. Rhodes had seen that first hand in his best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony Stark had changed so many times throughout James’ time knowing him. People change  constantly, all throughout their lives they become different people, molding to the landscapes of the events around them. Tony had been through rough patches, but since meeting Peter Parker, he was nothing but a better man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey had seen his friend go from an irresponsible alcoholic on the verge of working himself to death, to a devout mentor. To someone who was teaching himself day in and day out how to be selfless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So yeah, of course, Rhodey would die for Peter Parker. He would die for the kid, for someone he believed in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t scared. Tied to that chair, in sweatpants and an old t-shirt, having been pulled from his bed - he felt fear, of course. No one strapped to a bomb could say they felt no fear. But he was at peace with the knowledge of the outcome. He signed up for this fate long ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey’s eyes stared straight at the clock. The time was ticking down on his life, what he had left of it. Four minutes. He was surrounded by fifty gallon jugs of gasoline, on one of the top floors of a building under construction. He prayed that people weren’t around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rhodey, please, I don’t - I’m sorry.” Parker’s voice pulled Rhodes from his trance on the clock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, kid, don’t you dare be sorry. I chose this, alright? I couldn’t bear to have to take care of Tony if he lost you, alright? Honestly, you’re saving me a massive headache.” Rhodey tried to tease, but he only half-heartedly did so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m the one that taunted Doc Ock, if I’d just left him alone, none of this would have happened! I wouldn’t have gotten us in this mess.” Peter’s voice over the three-way call was full of clear distress, and Rhodes wanted to smack some sense inyo the kid. God, he was so much like Tony in his copious amounts of guilt-shaming himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid, if you’d left that psychopath alone, how many more people would have died?” Rhodey asked, knowing Parker would remain silent, but his point still hit. “This line of work - things like this happen, alright? I’ve been living on borrowed time ever since I joined the military. Hell, I’ve made it a lot longer than I ever thought I would.” James assured, hands trying to fidget with the ropes, to no avail. He was too tied in, too ill-prepared. He wasn’t getting out of here on his own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clock read three minutes. Tony should be getting to the kid any second then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Tones.” Rhodey started, wanting to get out a few final words to his best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Sam, Sam is on his way to you-” But Tony’s voice choked off as he knew, he knew Wilson wouldn’t make it in time. The pararescue would be doing a recovery, not a rescue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and I’m sure I’ll be seeing him soon, but I’ve got something to say.” Rhodey cleared his throat, ignoring the tears forming in his eyes. “Meeting you at MIT, the life I’ve had, creating the family I’ve got in you, Pepper, Happy, that’s something I never expected to have. I’m thankful for the time I got with you. Now, go save that kid, and take care of yourself or I swear I’ll haunt your ass.” Rhodey was hiding the fluctuations in his voice as he heard Tony’s choked gasps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too.” Came his friend’s quiet response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two minutes left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid, I’m ten seconds out.” Rhodey felt his heart begin to pound, hammering harder in his chest. The kid was going to be okay, that’s what mattered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then came a sound Rhodey hadn’t been expecting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glass shattering in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw an Ironman suit, faceplate up, the ghastly pale face of Anthony Stark staring at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey just shook his head, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NO!” Rhodey yelled, breaking Tony from his frozen stupor. “NO! How could you?!” He screamed as his friend made quick work of the ties on Rhodey’s arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” Peter asked, his voice shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey stood the second he was free, slamming his fists on Tony’s suit in fury. “How dare you come here? You were supposed to get the kid!” He cried, rage reaching into every cell in his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony just shook his head, his breath coming out in short gasps. “I-I didn’t. He lied. He lied, he told me Peter was here.” Tony said, and Rhodey felt like throwing up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh God, oh God no.” Rhodes said, as Tony shook his head, grabbing Rhodes before blasting him from the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two men were silent as Tony set them down a few streets over. Tony flipped up the faceplate and put the phone call on speaker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter - Peter I’m… I’m so sorry.” Tony said, his voice shaking as he stared at the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s happening?” Peter asked again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid, he - Octavius switched the addresses. Tony, he thought he was going to you, but it - it was my location.” Rhodey said, not really believing it had happened, his hands shaking as he thought about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was about to hear the kid die. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry, Peter. I-I’m so sorry.” Tony looked about two seconds away from falling over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's okay, it's better this way.” Peter said, his voice firm as Rhodey heard him grunting on the other end of the line. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thirty seconds, boss.” Came FRIDAY’s somber tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell- will you tell May - tell her I’m sorry - that I love her - that I didn’t mean to put her through this.” Peter’s voice shook, and Rhodey heard as the kid grunted and fought on the other end of the line, probably trying to break through whatever was tying him down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will, and Peter…” The clock had five seconds on it. Tony had tears pouring down his face. “I love you, kid.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sob was torn from Peter’s throat. “I love you too, Mr. Stark.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then a boom tore out from the building nearest to Rhodey and he could hear it from Peter’s line. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then a horrible, godforsaken beeping. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>The line was dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey watched his friend collapse to his knees, and he felt guilt wash through his entire body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He never wanted to live in a world without Peter Parker. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Peter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Peter sat in the chair, listening to Colonel Rhodes and Mr. Stark as they spoke to one another. He wanted more than anything for Mr. Stark to be going to Rhodey. He couldn’t handle it, listening to the explosion. Knowing that he was chosen, that Mr. Rhodes died for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter pulled against the restraints once more, frustration building in his chest. The vast amounts of gasoline around him caused Peter’s heart to race as he looked at the explosives in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to apologize, to tell Colonel Rhodes how sorry he was that he’d picked fight after fight with the mad scientist. Doc Ock was crazier than Peter could have imagined him to be. He was going to blow these buildings to shreds without a thought to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid, I’m ten seconds out.” Mr. Stark’s voice came in over the phone and Peter took in a shaking breath. The clock had about two minutes left. Maybe… if they flew fast enough… but Peter knew he was just trying to give himself false hope. There was no way they could get there in time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Peter heard yelling. Rhodey was shouting at Mr. Stark, and Peter felt his chest tighten. Mr. Stark went to Rhodey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter let out a shaking breath. He was both relieved and terrified. As desperate as he was for Colonel Rhodes to be the one to live, he wasn’t looking forward to seeing the white light today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter, I’m so sorry.” Came Mr. Stark, but Peter just let himself exhale. He’d done a lot during his time on this earth, more than most people could say they had. He’d done his best to make the world a better place in the short amount of time he’d been Spider-Man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s happening?” He asked without really thinking about the question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey’s voice came through this time. “Kid, he - Octavius switched the addresses. Tony, he thought he was going to you, but it - it was my location.” The Colonel sounded wrecked, as though he were about to fall apart with guilt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter began to fight against the restraints harder than he had before. “It’s okay; it’s better this way.” He assured the men on the other side of the phone. Less than a minute to go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…Will you tell May - tell her I’m sorry - that I love her, that I didn’t mean to put her through this.” Peter asked, his voice breaking as he thought of what May was going to go through. He let out a grunt as he felt one of the legs of the chair he was on begin to crack. He felt a spark of hope as he continued to fight against the vibranium restraints. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will, and Peter… I love you, kid.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter paused when he heard Mr. Stark’s words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had always been an unspoken agreement. They loved each other. They were family. It was something Peter had never expected to happen, something he could have only dreamed of in his life. But here he was, and he felt his heart shattering as he took a deep breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too.” Peter reassured, and with time running out, Peter began to thrash in his chains. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chair tipped over to the side, and Peter heard it crack as he bit back a cry of pain as his left side took the brunt of his fall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chair was cracked enough that Peter could stand, his arms still restrained behind him to the back of the chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes flicked to the clock. Two seconds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter ran as fast as he was capable of, finding the nearest window. He leapt forward, praying he wasn’t too high up. He turned around, letting the chair shatter the glass of the window as he began to fall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heat enveloped him as the building exploded, the sheer force of it sending him crashing into the building across the street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pain erupted throughout his body as the building above him began to collapse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head slammed into something hard, and his vision went black. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was so dark. Everything around him was dark and stuffy. Every time he took a breath, it felt like he was sucking air in through a straw. Peter blinked heavily, trying to ignore the way the dust in the air stung his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he tried to suck in a deeper breath, he let out a series of coughs. Fear gripping his heart as he realized that he tasted metal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter tried to get a feel for where exactly he was, where he was hurt, and holy shit – he was alive!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shaky exhale came from his throat as he realized that he wasn’t dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, come on, Peter. Think, think.” He mumbled to himself around swollen lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began at his toes. He wiggled them, trying to see if either leg was screwed up. He made it all the way up to his left knee before he let out a small gasp of pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay, his knee was screwed. He could manage that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued to flex his thighs, then hips, stopping when he couldn’t move his abdomen. Peter took in a deep breath as he realized some sort of concrete beam was laying across his lower stomach. It was heavy, there was no way he could lift it in the state he was in, but it wasn’t crushing him completely… or if it was, he couldn’t really feel it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to work on his fingers, frowning as he realized he was still in the vibranium cuffs. The chair back was shattered now, allowing his arms to slump at his sides even though they remained restrained behind his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His shoulders were aching with pain, and Peter was pretty sure he’d taken the force of the blow on his left side, his elbow was most definitely broken. He wiggled his neck carefully, moving slowly to keep from hurting himself more if something in his spine was hurt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He definitely had a concussion. He knew that much from the pounding headache, dizziness, and overwhelming nausea racketing through him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter wanted to stay awake, wanted to figure out how exactly to get out… but he was so tired. His eyes slowly began to close as he let his head drop back onto the concrete underneath him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone would find him. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Peter woke a second time, he knew something was so wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was wet. His back and shoulders… and the overwhelming stench of blood filled his nostrils alongside the dust and dirt surrounding him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt weak, like he could blow away at any point. Gripping life in slowly loosening fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t keep his eyes open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Exhaustion wrapped around him in a vice, pulling him down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Down. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bright lights, shifting concrete, loud voices, pain. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pain. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It was everywhere, an all encompassing – terrible feeling as he cried out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone’s hands wrapped around his own. A voice saying something, tears running down someone’s face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew that face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dark swallowed him once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Tony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony was weeping on the ground when he got the alert. He knew that he needed to go find the body, but the idea of seeing Peter – of seeing the kid like that was… it was too much for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey’s lips were pursed as he knelt beside his friend. Both men were riddled with horror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the ding came from FRIDAY.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boss, I sent a suit to Mr. Parker’s last known location. I cannot say for certain, but there is a life source detected in the destruction of one of the buildings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony hiccuped and looked up in both hope and terror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s alive?” he asked incredulously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I cannot say if it is Mr. Parker or not… but there is a possibility.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony jerked to his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, shit, okay. Get me there now! Send Rhodes a suit.” Tony turned to his friend, his own mouth gaping open. “There-there’s a life source. We don’t know who it is but… it could be-“ Tony stopped himself at the grim look resting on Rhodey’s face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tones, the blast… no one could have survived that.” Rhodey’s voice shook, tears falling silently on his face as he gripped at his shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Tony admitted, and he did. He knew that. But he had to try. He had to. “I know, but whoever it is, they need help. He would have wanted me to help.” Tony’s voice barely hit a whisper as his friend nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be right behind you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Tony was flying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FRI, send med teams to both locations. Disperse my emergency task forces. Get me to the location as fast as possible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Already on it. I have also alerted Mr. Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, and Natasha Romanov, as they were near the area of Mr. Parker’s last known location. They are all on their way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony felt his heart skip a few beats. Things with the rogue Avengers had been… rocky, to say the least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Accords had been resolved, but the relationships had yet to be mended. But right now, all Tony needed was help. From whoever was offering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he watched his flight path, it hit him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could find Peter’s body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter Parker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Twenty-one years old. Dating Michelle Jones. Sharing an apartment with longtime best friend Ned Leeds. Nephew to May Parker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought of May Parker. She would have no clue her nephew would never come home. He would have to tell her. He would have to hold her while he apologized for not being fast enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because despite how much he was pleading for the life source to be his kid’s, the odds were low. It was probably some poor soul who had been too close to the construction site. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter had been in vibranium cuffs, tied up to a chair in the middle of the room filled with gasoline. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that thought broke him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony had feared this day since the moment he met Peter Parker. The kid was too young, too ambitious. He walked into danger with the teenage view that he would walk out. That he could get away. That he was invincible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Tony first saw that in Peter, he’d tried his hardest to get the kid to walk away. Not because he didn’t care for the kid, not because he thought Peter to be incompetent, but because he couldn’t handle laying flowers on the boy’s grave. Couldn’t bare to deal with the aftermath of Peter Parker losing his life. Of a world left to mourn Spider-Man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Tony learned quickly that Peter wasn’t going to sit aside. He wasn’t going to stand down, no matter what it cost him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the price of it was too high. It was too fucking high. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony should not have to bury Peter Benjamin Parker. Parents were not supposed to outlive their children. It was unnatural.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony would have to wake up, and not remember. There would be a few seconds that everything was normal, then it would hit him like a ton of bricks. He would be reminded that Peter Parker died because of him. He would have to remember the funeral and eulogy and flowers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Tony knew he wouldn’t be able to take it. He simply would not be able to live with this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sight of the explosion came into view, and Tony let out a choking sob. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a wasteland of concrete and dust. Flames still licking at the building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, FRI… give me the location of the –“ Tony couldn’t make himself say it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It lit up on his HUD. Tony felt a wave of nausea course through him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The person was underneath a building across from the explosion site. The building was barely standing, a mess of broken bricks and dust from the collapse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony moved quickly, doing his very best to not think about where Peter’s body may be. To try and convince himself that maybe he could find a way to bring the kid back… he’d done it before. Maybe – maybe… but in the realistic part of his mind, he knew that trying to pull off time travel again would be messy. It could have ended horribly the first time he did it… hell – it almost did end horribly. But maybe he could…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony came back to himself when he pulled back the last piece of debris, and he blinked at the dust-covered body laid out before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The body was covered in blood mixed with the dust of bricks and plaster. The person’s legs were covered with a concrete beam, and Tony could see their chest moving up and down and in the back of his mind the hair and lips and clothes and nose all registered…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the brown eyes made contact with his and like a tidal wave crashing into the shore, Tony came back into himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter!” Tony cried, falling down beside the kid. He couldn’t compute why Peter was there – how he was there, but he knew that Peter was hurt and the kid’s eyes rolled back into his head no matter how much Tony called his name or rubbed at his shoulder - careful not to move him too much. “FRIDAY, get me medical now! I need everyone here! Code: Raid! Get all of the doctors to the compound now!” Tony turned to look at the concrete pinning Peter before his eyes landed on the way the kid’s arms were twisted up behind his back. He quickly undid the handcuffs, and tried to get Peter in a more comfortable position – tried to comprehend that the kid was in front of him – before he moved to get the concrete taken care of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the concrete removed Tony collapsed by Peter, faintly aware of FRIDAY telling him that medical was no more than five minutes away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Tony could only look at Peter. Peter who he’d never expected to see again. Peter who was limp – unconscious. Peter who’s body shook faintly, who was so pale, who looked as though any breath could be his last. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buddy, can you open your eyes? Peter? Pete…” Tony shook the kid’s shoulder gently, not willing to do more harm than good. The kid didn’t move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not until Tony accidentally bumped into the kid’s leg. Peter gasped quietly, his eyes blinking open vacantly as he looked around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peter? Can you hear me?” Tony asked, holding the kid’s face in his hands as he tapped his finger lightly to get Peter’s attention. But Peter just shuddered, gasping in pain as his breaths sped up. He stared straight through Tony. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, bud – it’s Tony. It’s Mr. Stark, can you look at me?” But Peter just blinked, gasped, and Tony glanced at his HUD, where FRIDAY was displaying Peter’s vitals, he winced at the heightened pulse. Tony let out a shuddering breath before looking up at, tears filling his eyes. “Don’t take him away from me. Please don’t take him away from me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony resigned himself to holding Peter, begging the kid to stay with him, until the medics arrived. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony’s forehead lay on the bed next to Peter, his hands laying on the kid’s bandaged wrist while the two slept. Tony wasn’t sure how long he slept before shifting on the bed woke him up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony sat up straight, looking around wildly before his eyes fell on Peter’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Mr. St’rk.” Came Peter’s ragged voice. The voice Tony had been so certain he wouldn’t hear again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, hey buddy.” Tony went to stand, to get May, but Peter’s weak fingers curled around his wrist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just stay for now… please.” The kid mumbled. Tony sat back down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, buddy. How are you feeling? Do I need to get the doctors to up your meds?” Tony asked, but he could see the medication in Peter’s eyes. In the way the boy tried to blink, but every time he went to open his eyes again, they crossed in an effort to stay awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was s’ sc’red. It was j’st like the first t’me.” Peter mumbled as his eyes flittered around the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s heart felt like it was caving in. He knew about the time Peter had been stuck under the rubble. He knew about Toomes, and it broke his heart whenever he thought of it. He knew Peter would struggle, that the kid would need to be encouraged to speak to someone about it. But Tony would be there, the whole way. So would May, and Michelle, and Ned. Everyone around Peter would be there for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, why don’t you get some sleep?” Tony brushed a hand across Peter’s forehead. “And when you wake up, I have a feeling Rhodey is going to want to have a nice, long chat with you about self-preservation… trust me, you’ll probably fall asleep during it. I’ve had the chat myself a couple of times. He’s hating how much you’re like me…” Peter’s eyes were closed, and his chest rose in time. The kid was sound asleep. “Yeah, I also have a tendency to do that to people. Get some rest, buddy. I’ll be here when you wake up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony watched as Peter’s eyes slipped shut before he went to go get May. He knew Peter… knew just how much Peter was like him. He knew the kid would be closed off about this - try to brush off the idea that he was struggling. He and May would be right there beside him. But for now, it was only important that the kid rested. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
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